Raiders thankful for Schaub's horrendous 2013

ALAMEDA -- It turns out the awful 2014 season Matt Schaub had last season with the Houston Texans played right into the hands of the Raiders.

``Had he not had the season he had last year in Houston, he wouldn't be sitting next to me today,'' Raiders offensive coordinator Greg Olson said at the press conference Friday announcing the acquisition of Schaub for a sixth-round draft pick. ``I feel very fortunate.''

Unlike last season, when the Raiders acquired Matt Flynn and put him in a competition with Terrelle Pryor, coach Dennis Allen said Schaub was the unquestioned starter.

Schaub, 32, endured a nightmarish season for the 2-14 Texans, throwing 14 interceptions and at one point having one returned for a touchdown in a record four consecutive games.

The Raiders chose to look at Schaub's full body of work, which includes four seasons of 4,000 or more yards passing and a 19-7 record as a starter in 2011 and 2012. Schaub wasn't interested in dwelling on 2013.

``A fresh start can do a lot of things for a player and a team and I'm one of those guys,'' Schaub said. ``I'm excited for the opportunity here, the players that are on this team, the coaches, the plan and the direction.''

Allen compared Schaub's career trajectory to that of Kurt Warner, who struggled after going from the St. Louis Rams to the New York Giants, then lead the Arizona Cardinals to the Super Bowl.

After being benched in favor of Case Keenum last season and sustaining a Lis-franc injury to his foot, Schaub said he has recovered both physically and emotionally.

Advertisement

``The foot's great. I'm healthy, excited about this opportunity,'' Schaub said. ``I'm moving on. The past is in the past. I can't do anything but move on to bigger and better things and I'm excited for what the future holds here in Oakland.''